Cannabis dispensary brand Zen Leaf has opened its first store outside the continental US.
The licensed medical cannabis dispensary, which will operate in partnership with science and technology company HBP Labs, opens at the start of November in Puerto Rico with up to eight full-time staff.
The San Juan store will sell a broad array of cannabis products including topicals, edibles, and concentrates, a press release states.
Cesar Cordero-Krüger, Zen Leaf partner and CEO of Iaso , the holding corporation of HBP Labs, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Zen Leaf to provide the people of San Juan access to the highest quality medical cannabis products on the market.”
He added: “We’re here to improve health and wellness, as well as provide tax revenue that will benefit the community.
“Conveniently accessible in a vibrant shopping plaza right in the heart of the most populated city in Puerto Rico – we couldn’t ask for a better location.
“In combining our strengths with Zen Leaf’s, we will further elevate both of our organisations’ best-in-class products, services and operations for the benefit of our patients and employees.”
Medical cannabis has been legal in Puerto Rico since 2015 but recreational use remains illegal.
Mr Cordero-Krüger added: “This dispensary is managed and operated by people hired from within the community, and trained in Zen Leaf’s best-in-class patient services.
“With nearly 100,000 registered cannabis patients in Puerto Rico, we are hopeful for rapid growth as patients experience the level of personal care that Zen Leaf delivers.”
There is a lot of confusion over CBD in the US, which was made legal at a federal level last year but some states prohibit it.
This week lawmakers in Mississippi warned the public that no CBD sold in the state is safe.
Officials from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Mississippi Department of Health held a joint press conference to warn consumers that there is little oversight in the fast-growing industry.
